Lambeau Field

FEATURED ARTICLES ABOUT LAMBEAU FIELD - PAGE 4

* Kansas City RB Marcus Allen became the seventh player in NFL history to surpass 12,000 yards for his career. * Detroit Lions RB Barry Sanders had his eighth consecutive 100-yard road game, breaking Allen's record. Sanders also became the first player in NFL history to rush for 1,000 yards for nine consecutive seasons. * Dallas Cowboys RB Emmitt Smith scored the 117th touchdown of his career, breaking a tie with John Riggins for No. 4 all-time, and his 110th rushing score, tying him with Walter Payton for No. 2 all-time.

The University of Miami has hired a consultant to study how to upgrade the Hurricanes' aging home stadium, the Orange Bowl. With the backing of the city of Miami, UM has hired Hammes Company Sports and Entertainment, a Wisconsin firm that has been project manager on the Detroit Lions' new Ford Field, and on the renovation of the Green Bay Packers' Lambeau Field. UM Athletic Director Paul Dee said Hammes will examine the Orange Bowl to determine the kinds of structural changes needed to ensure the safety of the 67-year-old, 74,000-seat stadium and to offer options from a simple renovation to a complete overhaul to modernize the building with luxury suites, more chairbacks and other amenities.

It's freezing. But for football fans there is no finer place to be today than Green Bay (pop. 101,000), that little anomaly in central Wisconsin known as Titletown, USA. The Green Bay Packers, returning to their glory days of the 1960s, won Super Bowl XXXI on Sunday at the Louisiana Superdome, defeating the New England Patriots 35-21. The victory set off a wild celebration in the French Quarter of New Orleans and touched off mass jubilation in Green Bay. Thousands of Wisconsin residents made the trek to New Orleans, many of them bridging the gap back to the Vince Lombardi years.

Doug Pederson took all the snaps for Green Bay during Wednesday's practice, but nobody expects the ex-Dolphins quarterback to start against his former team in Monday night's game at Lambeau Field. Brett Favre likely will extend his streak of consecutive starts to 165 games despite suffering a sprained knee ligament 11 days ago in a victory over Washington. Favre didn't participate in team drills Wednesday but worked on his drop-backs and mobility to see how he would perform while wearing a knee brace.

TAMPA BAY BUCS(3-1) AT INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (4-0) Where/when: RCA Dome, 4:05 p.m. TV: 7 29 Bucs: They've lost RB Cadillac Williams for the season, but he wasn't doing much before he was injured. Undrafted RB Earnest Graham, the ex-Gator, has been a big surprise. They continue to run more than pass, and they're getting mature game management from QB Jeff Garcia. Colts: WR Marvin Harrison is questionable with a knee injury. RB Joseph Addai is a budding star. Streak: Bucs +3, Colts +4 Sizing it up: Colts have injury issues, but with Peyton Manning throwing eight TDs to just one interception and looking to WR Reggie Wayne and TE Dallas Clark, they should have an edge at home.

ATLANTA FALCONS (12-5) AT PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (14-3) Where/when: Lincoln Financial Field, 3 p.m. TV: 7, 29 Falcons: QB Michael Vick is the key factor. Control his running and they don't have a lot to fall back upon. Vick has a whiplike arm and throws with as much velocity as any quarterback, but he's not very accurate and often pulls down the ball if he can't find a first or second option. But his running threat opens up gaps for RBs Warrick Dunn and T.J. Duckett. Defensively, they have a fabulous pass-rushing line -- so good they don't need to blitz.

The Orange Bowl will soon be receiving a $130 million to $150 million face-lift. Renovations will begin shortly after the University of Miami's 2005 football season ends in late November and will take 28 to 30 months to complete, said Hammes Co. President Bob Dunn, whose Wisconsin-based firm was hired to handle the stadium upgrades. "We're moving at a very progressive pace," Dunn said. "We're getting some of the base agreements in place and we're hoping to have the design in upcoming months."

Dallas and San Francisco, two teams that have dominated professional football in the 1990s, have now vanished from the playoffs. That is nothing to grieve about. The Cowboys had become a tiresome, unattractive team, known as much for scandal as for playing football. They are also whiners. With notable exceptions, including the admirable quarterback, Troy Aikman, the Dallas players blamed press preoccupation with the Cowboys' off-field behavior for Sunday's 26-17 loss to the Carolina Panthers.